Recipe: Old Fashioned Cream of Chicken Soup

OLD FASHIONED CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP

FOR THE CHICKEN STOCK:
3 lb chickens
12 1/2 cups water
1 onion unpeeled, pierced with 2 whole cloves
2 stalk celery with leaves
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 sprigs fresh parsley
12 whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled)
salt and freshly ground pepper
FOR THE CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP:
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter or 1/4 cup olive oil
1 large white onion, minced
2 stalk celery, minced
1/2 all-purpose cup flour
3 cups prepared chicken stock
3 cups milk
1 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp dry sherry
1 tbsp green peppercorn mustard
minced fresh parsley (for garnish)

TO MAKE THE CHICKEN STOCK:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pat chickens dry. Place in heavy roasting pan. Roast until juices run clear when chicken is pierced in thickest part of thigh, about 45 minutes.

Remove chicken from pan. Set roasting pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer liquid to large pot. Add remaining 12 cups water, onion, celery, carrots, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaf and thyme to pot. Skin and bone chicken. Add skin and bones to pot. Bring stock to boil, skimming surface occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours.

Strain stock into large saucepan. Boil until reduced to 3 cups, about 40 minutes. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead and refrigerated.) Degrease stock.

TO MAKE THE CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP:
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add the minced onion and celery and cook until onion is translucent, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes; do not brown. Puree mixture in processor or blender. Return to pan.

Add flour and stir over low heat 3 minutes.

Whisk in 3 cups chicken stock. Increase heat and bring to boil. Gradually whisk in milk. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.

Dice chicken and add to soup. Add cream, Sherry, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir until heated through. Ladle into bowls. Top with parsley.

Servings: 8
Source: Bon Appetit, October, 1987